MQ Iswara, the Golkar Party’s West Java campaign manager, said the party would declare on Jan. 9 its candidates for the West Java gubernatorial election.

“We will declare it at Sasana Budaya Ganesha [Sabuga] before we register them with the General Elections Commission [KPU] in the afternoon,” Iswara said in Bandung on Thursday.

The Golkar Party and the Democratic Party have formed a coalition and reportedly intend to support the candidacy of West Java Deputy Governor Deddy Mizwar and Purwakarta Regent Dedi Mulyadi in the election. Iswara did not respond to a question about whether Deddy or Dedi would be the governor candidate.

Iswara said the coalition was ready to support the ticket in the race against other candidates, such as Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil, who has reportedly started communicating with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Ridwan reportedly will be paired with former West Java Police chief Anton Charliyan.

“We are promoting our candidates’ commitments and capabilities. I believe that people in West Java are smart enough to judge and choose the best people to lead the province for the next five years,” he said.

Candidate registration will be open from Jan.8 to 10.  (vla/ebf)